Divided Souls by Gabriella Poole

Author:Gabriella Poole
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Young Adult Fiction, Magic, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, General, Science Fiction, YA), Fantasy & magical realism (Children's
ISBN: 9780340989265
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 2010-10-01T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

‘Cassandra Bell.’ Sir Alric Darke stood quite formally as his secretary opened the door to the delegation. A smile of satisfaction twitched his mouth. She walked into the room, giving a last glance at her ‘sidesmen’. Ayeesha was solemn, but Richard gave her a reassuring nod as Sir Alric dismissed them and the door was closed.

‘So, Cassie. Official delegate of the Few, no less. In two terms.’

‘I don’t really care about that. Not right now.’

She swept the room with her gaze. There was something odd about it since last time. Sir Alric himself, for a start. He looked almost dishevelled – well, by his standards at least. His hair was rumpled from having his long fingers run through it, and his tie was slightly loosened. She couldn’t even be sure he’d shaved today. As for the room, it was strewn with papers, folders, books. Cassie frowned. And there was something different, something missing. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something …

He must have noticed her curiosity, because he looked quite shifty and displeased all of a sudden. ‘There’s a little disorder here; I seem to have misplaced a file. Shall we go out to the greenhouse?’

As ever, it wasn’t really a request, so she followed him. He didn’t even give his young orchids a glance as he passed them; now that was unusual. Curiouser and curiouser …

‘So.’ Sir Alric stood silhouetted against one of the glass walls lined with creeping vines, and folded his arms. ‘Please feel free to present your request.’

Cassie cleared her throat, thinking she should play along with his formalities. ‘I – we, the Few – want to be made privy to any information you have about Mikhail’s death. About Yusuf’s disappearance, and … and Ranjit’s.’ She took a deep breath, angry that she’d stumbled over the name. ‘Because the Few believe that sleeping dogs shouldn’t be left to lie any longer. This is directly affecting us, and we have a right to know.’ When she was finished, she was a little surprised herself at how severe she had managed to sound.

Sir Alric didn’t answer immediately. He nodded slowly, deliberately, and then smoothed a ruffled hair back into place, before folding his arms again and finally meeting her eye.

‘I grant you, Cassie, the situation is unusual in that there does seem to be a connection between these disappearances. But as you’ve told me yourself, Ranjit Singh keeps very much to his own schedule.’ He paused. ‘And as I’ve already asked you, I want you to let me know if he gets in touch.’

‘What makes you think he’d get in touch with me?’

‘Come along, Cassie. Let’s not play games.’

She bristled. Here he was, quite literally in a glass house, and he was going to throw stones at her?

‘You seem very certain everything’s all right with him.’

‘Nothing is certain,’ he replied, his eyes stormy, severe. ‘But we both know that of anyone, you are the most likely person he would contact. It’s important that anything pertaining to this matter is brought to my attention straight away.

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